Singing in the Moonlight

The gnomes, full of fish and well-rested, packed up their things and continued their march down the shoreline. "Where do you suppose they are off to?" Aurora said as she watched them leave.

Phoca unconsciously shivered. "They have been above ground more than normal these days and messing about outside the ice barrier. We water-loving creatures are usually safe outside the barrier. We have a water cavern to get ourselves back home when we need it. But the gnomes, they rarely venture beyond their own little holes. To see them out here is truly frightening."

"Will they come back?" Devrim asked.

The selkie under his left arm, named Luna, answered, "I do not think so. They seemed pretty intent on heading east. They may be trying to get around to the other side of the lake, though why they would not do that inside the ice barrier is beyond me."

"They are trying not to be seen doing anything suspicious where magical eyes might be spying," Aurora mused.

"D